Clover-buncher.



No. 840,615. v i PATENTED JAN. s, 19o?. A. QJFUN-K aac. B. "Mmmm, GLOVER BUNGHBR.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB.28. 1903. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1."

'M ya No. 840,615` PATBNTED JAN. a, 1967.

A. c. FUNK & C. E; MIGKLE.

APPLIOATION FILED rBB.2s, 19os-.

2 lm e n a e uiolro o|o e a n e ,on

3 SHEETS-SHEET-3.

THE RRRR ls PETERS co., wAsHmcraN, D. c,

UNITED sfrnrns .PATENT orricn.

ALFRED c. FUNK AND- cHARLEs MioKLE.. or sPRiNGFIELn, AssraNoas To NTERNATIONAL HAnvEsrER coMPA-.Nn A coR-Po RATICN OF NEW JERSEY.

cLovER-suNcHE R1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented" J an. 8, 1907.

To fir/ZZf whom, it may concern:

Beit known that WeyALFRED C.. FUNK and CHnRnEs E. MICKLE, citizens of the United States residing at Spring'lield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio,lhave invented a new and' useful Im rovement in Clover- Bunc-hers, of which t ie following is a speci'- cation.

Thisinvention relates-'to ,a clover-bun cherthat is, a machine `for cutting clover and arranging itin rows or bunches,- and thus depositin'gjit upon the ground..

rlhe invention consists,I substantial-ly,.in the construction set forth in the spe'ciication and hereinafter more particularly pointed out in they claims.`

Like letters refer tothe samefparts in the several. iigures of the' drawings, in which- Figurel is a plan View of a mowing machine withthe tongue broken away xand the cloverbnncher' attachment applied thereto.. Fig. 2 is a rear view of one of the master-wheels of a. mowing mach-inel and the cloverbuncher attachment. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the cloversbuncher attachment on thel line 3 31, Fig. 1 showing the manner of lapplying the same to the master-wheel axle.

Fig. 4 is a plan view ofthe two sections of the carrying slats ortines. Fig. 5 is a transverse section oi'- thel carrying; slatsor tines. Fig. 6- isa detailE view in elevation of one of the spring teeth or ingers. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on theline 7 7, Fig. 1,. of the joint connecting; the carrying-arms with the head or top bar.

Many dihierent forms of devices have been devised for arranging the clover as it is out intof rows or bunches `and delivering` th e sameupon the ground, and the present inventionis designed as an improvement upon that class of machines.. It will; be understood that any usual. form of mower is employed to cut the clover and that the attachment for carrying it and detaining in sufficient quantity in the torni of bunches is applied to such mower and arranged toy be conveniently opp erated to effect thisl purpose and then deliver the bunch. or row in the easiest and most convenient manner.A Therefore the` particular construction of the mower, which forms noV `a trame, two master-wheels, seat,ngerbar,.

knifeyand mechanism for operating'the same, asis shown in the drawings.

TheV master-Wheels are designated, respec tively, by the letters A and A", the la-tterlet-V ter being the` wheel at: theV right of the seat.

The frame of the mower' is designated bythe letter' B, the ringer-bar by the letter C, and:

the knife by the letter D. At the rearo theinstance, as` lugs Cn with suitable bolts, the` nuts of which may be l removed, and thereby permit the cross-bar to be detached.. lit is economical and desirable to'y useV the samev bolts which connect theknifeehol'd'in .j clips.

7 y This cross-bar F iis attached toy theI finger-bar by any suitable` meanssuch, forV toL also fasten the lugs or straps Gn to.` t e fin-- ger-bar.. Just over the rear ends of theseslats or tines Eis arranged a series of teeth orl fingers H, which ofero'bstruction` tothe pas-A sage of the cloverV from theI slats or' tines These ingers or teeth. are preferably coni-- structed as springeteeth with coils at their.4 upper' ends, through Whi-ch coils passes the` head or' bar l. This head is supported and controlled by a parallel or link motion, which willE now be described.`

Abaror rod K is pivoted to an attachment, with part of the frame projecting thereirorn, which attachment the, drawings is. desig-v nated by the letter'L and is shown as. of UZ form, which is a conyenient shape, although of course other shapes might be employed, and this bar K, ofwhich the bolt Mis the'i'f'ull crunr, has at its stubblew'ard end' a meansfor operatingit, either in the shape-of a tread or' a handle, preferably, asshowni, a tread', white at the grassward end of said bar it is secured to a bolt N, which bolt. is in turn fastened tothe head arranged at the top of thev teeth before mentioned.4 Ot course the mannerof securing the treadle @operating-bar K to the head of the series of teeth is capable ot widey variation;` but a convenient and desirable arrangement for this pi-lrposeA iss-hewn in Fig.

ICO

end of which is connected to the tread-bar K some of the weight from the lower end of the 7 of the drawings, where the bar is clamped between the nut on the outer end of the bolt N and the hub of the upright or vertical bracket O, the purpose of which bracket will be presently set forth. Rising vertically above the head I is a bracket O, which at its lower end is preferably formed with a curved or ,'concaved surface to fit the exterior of the head of the teeth and is also arranged to be secured to the bolt N and clamped against the head by means of the nut operating against the bar K. At the inner end of this bolt N there may be conveniently formed an eye N, to which may be hooked the bracerod P, the otherend of which may be hooked to any convenient support carried by the frame, but preferably to the particular form shown in the drawings, which will be hereinafter described. To theupper end of the upright or vertical bracket is'secured the rod R, which at its other end is attached to a bracket O', each end of course of the rod'R having suliicient play to allow turning of the bent ends of the same in the brackets. This rod R is, as will be seen, arranged parallel to the bar K, and thereby assists in producing a parallel motion, which enables the toothhead and depending teeth to be lifted vertically, so as to be maintained in its true level position during the entire upward ymovement thereof, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The bracket O has also secured to it one end of a spring S, the other at Aa point approximately midway of its length. The purpose of this spring is to take teeth and to assist in raising such teeth when the operator presses on the treadle Bracket O is secured by the bolt M to a projection from or attachment of the frame, in this instance shown as the attachment L. The attachment to the frame is in this instance and preferably in the formof arod bent into U shape, so as to straddle the grassward masterwheel, the closed end of the U being to the rear of the machine andthe open end being connected on each side by yokes or clamps. The yoke or clamp to the left of the masterwheel is, as shown, secured directly to the frame, in this case being the boxing surrounding/the axle, andthe otherarm of the U- frame being journaled on the grassward end of the main axle through the bent plate T, which is bolted to the grassward arm of the U-frame and has a hole through which the end of the axle protrudes and an arm to 'which the brace-rod P is hooked. It is obvious, however, that this form of arrangement to carry the fork-head through the medium of the brace-rod and the parallel arms may be varied in the details of its construction without departing from the principles of the invention.

Other variations may be made in the coni struction Ishown and described by any one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we therefore do not wish to be understood to limiting ourselves to the exact details of construction shown and described.

What we claim, and desire to secure by lietters Patent, is-

l. In a clover-buncher, the combination with a carrier and a vertical gate at the rear thereof, with mechanism for raising and lowering said gate with reference to the carrier, said means operating to move such gate in parallel lines so as to maintain its upper and lower edges in a horizontal position when raised above the carrier; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a clover-launcher, the combination with a mower and a carrier, of a gate or obstructing-fork arranged to move vertically towardv and from the carrier, and parallel arms connected to such gate and extending to and connected'to a support secured to the main frame of the mower whereby said gate maintains parallel relation in the vertical movements thereof; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In a clover-buncher, the combination with a mower, of a carrier, an obstructing gate or fork mounted for vertical movement toward and from said carrier, parallel arms arranged above Veach other and secured to the gate near the longitudinal center thereof, an attachment carried by the main frame, the other ends of said arms being pivoted to said attachment to swing in a vertical plane whereby said gate maintains parallel relation with respect to itself in the vertical movements thereof, as and for the purpose sot forth.

4. In a clover-buncher, the combination with a mower having a finger-bar, of a carrier mounted on said finger-bar, and an obstructing gate or fork mounted to move vertically toward and from said carrier, an attachment secured to the main frame of the mower and forming a support for said gate, and pivotal connections between said gate and attachment for. moving said gate vertically toward and from said carrier, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a clover-buncher, the combination with a mower having` a mainframe and an attachment mounted on the main frame of a carrier, an obstructing gate or fork, and an inner brace-rod pivoted to the inner side of the head of the gate or fork and to the end of the attachment carried by the frame.

6. In a clover-buncher, the combination with a mower, of a carrier, an obstructingT gate or fork,a pair of parallel bars or rods pivoted near the longitudinal center of the gate-head and also to an attachment of the main frame, and a spring pivoted at one end to such attachment and at the other end to sfiora-r5-v one'of the bars;1 substantially as and for the purpose set forth..

7. In a. clover-buncher, the combination with a main frame and master-wheeli,a forked attachment carried by the. main frame, the arms of said attachment straddling. the master-wheel, clampsV for detachably connecting the ends of said arms to the mai-n frame, and a carrier, a head. or bar, fingers carried thereby and forming a gate said head or bar being pivotally mounted upon said attachment to swing in a vertical plane, as and for the purpose set forth..

8.. Inv a'clover-buncher, the combination with a mowerincluding` a finger-bar and an obstructingate arranged rearward of said. finger-bar, cfa U-shaped attachment adapted to straddle the grassward master-wheelandY provided withy detachable; clamps, one arranged for each arm and respectively con-- nected to the main frame and to the axle and provided with a bearing,- and mechanism pi-votally connecting the obstructinggate with the said bearing; substantially 'as and v for the purpose set forth..

9;.. In a clover-buncher, the combi-nation withy a mower and a gate, of a U-shaped attachment adapted to straddlc the grassward master-Wheel and. having detachable clamps respectively for the main frame, and the a-Xzleand provided with a fulcrum at the base of the U-shaped frame, apairof parallel levers to the gate, and mechanism connectin secured to' such attachment, oney of which constitutes'y the operating-lever and is iournaled on the fulcrum and the other of which is journaled in vertical brackets, respectively secured tothe head ofthe gate and tothe attachment; substantially as and forv the purpose set forth.

10. In a clover-buncher, they combination with a mower, of an obstructing-gate, a U- shaped attachment, one arm of which is detachably clamped to the frame and one arm provided with a plate journaled on the axle, a brace-rod having bearing at one end on said plate, which rod is journaled at its other epd t ie attachment with the gate whereby such gate is supported and braced by the attachment, as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a clover-buncher, the combination with a mower and an obstructing-gate, of carrying-arms and a brace-rod, said arms and rod being respectively secured to the outer and inner sides of the gate-head, and a U- shaped frame arranged to straddle t-he grassward master-wheel and affording a support for the parallel arms connecting it to the gate and having at the end of the grassward arm of this attachment a plate journaled on the aXle and provided with an eye for the bracerod and having at the inner end of its other arm a clamp for securing such end to the frame; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l 12. In a clover-brancher, the combination;

gat e-and main frame respectively, and adapt-- ed to canse the gatey to maintain its upper and lower edges in a horizontal. posi-tion during the vertical" movement thereof.

13. 1in a clover-buncher, the combination of a mower, an obstructing-gate, a headthereef for, a bracket, an operating-lever pivotally Econnected? at one end to saidbracket` and at the other to the mower-frame, and a bolt forconnecting said bracket to said head?, and a nut on said bolt operating tomaintain the-v pivotal connection of said lever and brachen as and for the-purpose set fort-h.

14. In a clover-buncher the combination i with a mower, an obstructing-gate, and a head for the latter, of operating. mechanism 'for supporting and manipulating the gate,

including a bol-t passing: through: said head and having an eye a-t one end, a brace-rod connected to said eye, a verticalv bracket through which said bolt passes for clamping;Y

the same to said head, an operating-lever pivotally connected to said bracket, and a lparallel bar also connected pivotally tosaid bracket, as and for the purpose set forth.

15.. In a cl'over-buncher, the combination 4withy a mower, of acarrier, an obstructing gate, anda counterbalance for same; substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

16. In a clover-bncher, the combination with a side-cut mower, ofv a slatted platform attached to the cutter-bar, an obstructinggate at the rear thereof, said gate being supported from the main frame and held against lrearward movement by means of a diagonal brace extending from the gate to the main frame; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17. In a clover-buncher, a mower-frame, a gate, upwardly-extending brackets respectively carried by the mower-frame and gate,

-a rod pivotally connected at'the ends thereof to said brackets to swing in a vertical plane, and a lever pivotally mounted on the frame and connected to the gate for swinging the latter vertically, said rod being adapted to maintain the upper" and lower edges of said gate in horizontal position during the vertical movement thereof.v

18. In a clover-buncher, the combination of a mowing-machine, a finger-bar, a slatted carrier located rearward thereof, a gate located rearward of the carrier but disconnected therefrom, and supporting and operating means for said gate arranged on the grainward side of the machine and including a le- IOO IIOA

ver ivotally connected to the frame of the mac Yine and tothe gate, whereby the gate may beraised or lowered bodily, and a rod above' and parallel to the lever also pivotally connected respectively to the gate and frame and adapted to prevent the tilting'of the upperA and lower edges of the gate during its raising and lowering movement.

19. In a' clover-buncher, the'combination f form attached to the cutter-bar, an obstructingfgate at the rear thereof, said gate being supportedifrom the main frame and held against rearward movement by means of a brace pivotally connected at one end to the grate and braced at the other end by the main ame at a point adjacent to the axle of the grainward traction-wheel. j

2l. In aV clover-buncher, the combination with a mowing-machine, of a slatted platform attached to the cutter-b'ar, anobstructingegate at the rear thereof, said gate being supported from the main frameV and held against rearward movement by means of a brace pivotally connected to the gate at one end and at its other end pivotally connected to the axle of the grainward .traction-wheel.

22. In a clover-buncher, the combination with a mowing-machine, of a slatted platform attachedv to the cutter-bar, an obstructing-gate at the rear thereof, said gate being supported from the main frame, and a brace connectin the axle of the grainward traction-whee with the gate.

23. In a clover-buncher, the combination with a mowing-machine, of a slatted platform attached to the cutter-bar, an obstructing-gate at the rear thereof, said gate being supported from the main frame, and a brace loosely connected at one end to the axle of the rainward wheel and at the other end loose y connected to the gate.

24. In a clover-buncher, the combination with a mowing-machine, of a slatted platform attached to the cutter-bar, an obstructing-gate at the rear thereof, said gate being supported from the main frame, and a brace connecting the axle of the grainward traction-wheel with the gate, and having vertical and rolling adjustment at each end of said connection.

25. In a clover-buncher, the combination with a side-cut mower, of a platform attached to the cutter-bar, an obstructing-gate at the rear thereof, said gate being supported from the main frame of the mower, and a memberadapted to hold said gate against rearward movement, said member connected at one end to said gate and braced at the other end by the main frame at a point adj acent to the axle of the grainward tractionwheel.

n In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands, this 24th day of February, 1903, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses,

ALFRED C. FUNK. CHARLES E. MICKLE. Witnesses:

MAURICE KANE, H. B. SPERRY. 

